Peonies

Peonies are one of my favorite flowers.

They're so voluptuous and decadent; layer after layer of soft, elegantly frayed petals. They start off tightly packed, like a golf ball. Then, as the days roll by, a beautiful unfurling begins. It's always reminded me of the rewards of our practice of delayed gratification.

Living in the deep south, I always wondered if I could grow them. The answer is no. I've learned that peonies need at least 30 consecutive days of below freezing temperatures. How wild! You'd think weather like that would be the enemy of a flower so sweet, but it's a necessity.

Without the cold, we won't get the bloom.

Let this be a reminder to us all: the colder chapters in life can end up being a necessary component of our evolution. Nature is always elegantly organizing. Let's give ourselves some grace. Just as peonies must go through their cold dormancy in order to bloom, come springtime, we must appreciate every relevant step that leads to the blossoming of our enlightenment.